Grameen Telecom employees withdraw cases against Dr Yunus

Grameen Telecom Union of Workers and Employees has withdrawn all the cases it filed against Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and his organisation Grameen Telecom with different courts as the parties reached an out-of-the-court settlement over the claims of the employees.
On the same ground, the company bench of the High Court division of the Supreme Court on Monday passed an order dismissing a petition filed by the employees seeking liquidation of Grameen Telecom.
Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan, who appeared in the HC hearing on behalf of the Grameen Telecom, said: "We have reached an out of court settlement over the claim of the employees of the Grameen Telecom. On the basis of that, all the cases filed in different courts against this company and Professor Yunus have been withdrawn."
More than 176 cases were filed against Professor Yunus and Grameen Telecom by the members of the union, said the lawyer.
Lawyer Yousuf Ali, who appeared in the court on behalf of the employees, said: "We have reached an agreement that about Tk 4.0 billion will be paid to the 176 employees against their dues. After that we filed a petition with the courts including the HC to dismiss the cases filed against Professor Yunus and Grameen Telecom."
Mr Yousuf earlier said the workers and the employees are entitled to get 5.0 per cent of the net profit of the company as per the rule.
"They're entitled to get it since 2006, but the company has not paid the dues. Under this circumstance, they moved to the labour court and the HC."
Mahmud Hasan Feroz, secretary of the union, on behalf of 99 members filed a petition in February this year seeking liquidation of the company.
The High Court bench of Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar later accepted it in April for further hearing, but finally dismissed.
Without any discussion with the union the Grameen Telecom authorities laid off 99 employees through a notice. Since then dissatisfaction started among the employees. Later a writ petition was filed with the High Court challenging the notification.
Upon hearing the petitions, the HC also summoned Professor Yunus. Finally, the court on April 4 in 2021 directed the authorities to reinstate the employees.
Apart from this, other cases were filed in different times against Professor Yunus and other officials of the Grameen Telecom.

bikashju@gmail.com